Gal Meets Glam is a source of inspiration that covers everything from fashion and beauty to home and travel. Every day you can expect me to capture and share what’s inspiring me lately.

Julia Engel

Working on Gal Meets Glam has been a journey. So much has changed since I started this as a fun project during my Junior year of college in 2011. I cannot believe how much I’ve learned about the world and how much I’ve learned about myself. My husband, Thomas and I have been incredibly fortunate to be in the position that we are in today. With so many people listening to what we have to say, it’s a responsibility that we don’t take lightly. I invite you to read more about my story, how I started Gal Meets Glam and what I think the future holds for us.

Get Inspired

Subscribe to one or all of my newsletters to get a touch of glam in your inbox

My Founding Story

I started Gal Meets Glam back in 2011 while a Junior in college studying Business. I knew I wanted to create something, but I wasn’t entirely sure of what that “something” was. Without hesitation, I signed up for Blogger and wrote my first blog post. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had the passion to learn and grow, so I did just that. My then boyfriend, Thomas (now husband), and I would spend hours online, researching html code and watching Youtube videos on how to use DSLR cameras (which we quickly upgraded to once I realized my point-and-shoot was not going to cut it).

I went into the process without any expectations, but just to have fun and use Gal Meets Glam as a platform to be creative. It’s amazing what can happen when you truly love what you’re doing. After graduating college, I got a job in San Francisco, but still kept up Gal Meets Glam as if it were my second job. It never felt like a “job” to me, but an outlet I always looked forward to at the end of the day or on weekends. It made me happy and excited and kept me motivated. Soon, every hour that wasn’t spent at my (then) current job, was spent working on the blog- answering emails, running social media, working with brands, styling looks, shooting content, writing copy, finding inspiration, the list went on and on.
After several months of debating whether or not to take the leap to full-time blogger, I decided it was time in late 2013. I had reached a point where I knew if I didn’t take the risk, I might not ever be able to. So with the encouragement of Thomas, our family and friends, I decided to run Gal Meets Glam full-time. It was one of the scariest, most rewarding experiences! Having the ability to focus solely on my business was like a weight lifted off my shoulders and I knew I could finally start achieving the things I had always dreamed of doing.

Going full time was a major turning point for me and for Gal Meets Glam. Since then, Thomas has joined me full time, we’ve added employees, we moved to Charleston, we’ve launched products and we are working on the biggest project of my life right now. So much has happened in the years since founding Gal Meets Glam and I encourage you to check out the Moments section of this about page, to see our biggest highlights.

The Future of Gal Meets Glam

I’m often asked what I think Gal Meets Glam will be doing 3-5 years from now. The truth is I don’t really know, and I think that’s OK. Because I’ve always believed that the only thing constant in life is change. With that being said, there’s one thing I know I will be doing – creating and sharing what inspires and motivates me.

Every day I still find something that creates a ‘spark’. Something that gets my mind racing with excitement. These little discoveries are the driving force behind why I continue to share what I share on Gal Meets Glam. The inspiration may come from fashion, like the look and feel of a fabric, the silhouette of a dress or the craftsmanship put into a beautifully made product. It could be the rush I get when I finally find an item I’ve pictured in my head for so long, or when I discover a deal too great to pass up.

I’m inspired by special moments from our travels. The beauty of the world is something I’m constantly in awe of, both natural and manmade. I’m energized by new people and different cultures.

I’m motivated by the exciting and sometimes nerve racking experience of being an entrepreneur. Every day there’s a major decision to be made, and the autonomy we enjoy can be both a blessing and a curse.

Finally, I love connecting with readers. I cherish the emails and comments I receive from readers, no matter the context. A reader thanking me for helping them through a hard time in their life is just as valuable as a reader sharing constructive criticism on something I’ve posted. Both matter to me because they both show you care.

These are the things that motivate and inspire me to create everyday. I invite you to join me. To share your opinion when you have one, and to ask for help when you need some. Basically, I want to get to know you as you get to know me.

1 Year in Charleston

Charleston, 2017

Named Top Fashion Influencer by Forbes

2017

Gal Meets Glam x Lulu & Georgia Rug Launch

2017

Gal Meets Glam X Frye Boot Launch

2017

GMG highlights

:5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Gal Meets Glam

Even though I've been sharing my life online for over 6.5 years, there is so much that goes unpublished. There's only a fraction of what goes on in my day to day that I post about. I'm just not a natural over-sharer. Lately I've been pushing myself to step...

:This White Jumpsuit Is So Fresh For Spring

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at Create & Cultivate in LA. We flew out just for the event and then flew right back to the East Coast (NYC), which is where we are for the next few days (I'm hosting an event with Vionic...

Top products

:My Daily Makeup Routine

As promised, I have another video for you guys today! I'm going to keep them coming! Last time I posted my tutorial for the 'vintage curls' I always do, and this time around, my daily makeup routine. I'm not one of those people who spends a lot of time...

Browse content

Top products

:Our 2018 Dream Travel Destinations

Every January we start with a big dream list of travel destinations for the year. Travel brings a new energy to us, so it’s fun to take the time to dream up future adventures. There’s something magical about experiencing a place for the first time. Our typical...